Serhiy Kurchenko

Serhiy Vitaliiovych Kurchenko (Ukrainian: Сергі́й Віта́лійович Ку́рченко; born 21 September 1985) is a Ukrainian businessman and founder/owner of the group of companies "Gas Ukraine 2009" specializing in trading of liquefied natural gas. Kurchenko is also the former owner and president of FC Metalist Kharkiv and the Ukrainian Media Holding group. Kurchenko left Ukraine in February 2014 and his current whereabouts are unknown. Since the following month Kurchenko has been on the international wanted list. Since then his property and other assets have been arrested. Until the end of 2012 information about Kurchenko was scarce and it surfaced with a scandal around sell of FC Metalist Kharkiv. In October 2017, a Ukrainian court confiscated Metalist Kharkiv from Kurchenko and placed it under state property.

Kurchenko was born 21 September 1985 into a low-income family in Kharkiv, Saltivka residential neighborhood. From 1992-2002 he attended secondary school number 122. From 2002-2006 he attended National Technical University Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute studying Economics and Entrepreneurship. He graduated with a Bachelor in Accounting and Auditing, followed by studies in "Intellectual Property" from 2006-2008 resulting in a master's degree. From 2009-2011 he attended National University Yaroslav the Wise Law Academy of Ukraine graduating with a law degree. Teachers and classmates described him as a closed and restrained person. Employees described him as communicable, but not striking.

Kurchenko started working as a courier for Naftogaz, Ukraine's national oil and gas company, when he was 16. Per his official biography he advanced to deputy commercial director, by reorganizing the wholesale of liquefied gas within two years. Implementation of his projects increased Ekspogaz's profits. Kurchenko left Ekspogaz and started his own business in 2005 at the age of 19 years.

His official biography on "Metalist" states "The experience and attracted financing allowed him to carry out a few successful investment projects in the primary market building and the land market in the Kharkiv region. From 2005 to 2008, prior to the 2008 financial crisis, prices on the real estate market in Ukraine rose more than 30% per year." The biography does not mention any projects or the name of his firm.

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